Straight answers
Everything Rhode Islanders ask us.
Plumbing & Heating FAQs
No jargon, no dodging. If your question isn't here, the phone works 24/7.
Do you really answer 24/7, even holidays?
Yes. A live person answers (401) 601-5040 around the clock, including nights, weekends and holidays. Emergencies dispatch immediately; everything else gets the next same-day slot.
How fast can you get to my house?
Rhode Island is small and our vans are spread across it, most addresses are within a 30-minute roll of our West Warwick shop, and the dispatcher gives you a realistic ETA on the call.
Do you give prices before starting work?
Always. After diagnosis you get a flat price to approve before any work begins. The number you approve is the number on the invoice.
Are your plumbers licensed and insured?
Every SOS technician is fully licensed and insured in Rhode Island, and our heating techs add factory certifications from Viessmann and Navien.
What counts as a plumbing emergency?
Water where it shouldn't be, sewage coming up instead of going down, no heat in winter, frozen pipes, or any leak you can't stop. When in doubt, call, triage is free.
My boiler is 20 years old, repair or replace?
If a repair costs more than about a third of a new high-efficiency system, replacement usually wins, modern condensing boilers cut fuel use 20-30%. We quote both paths.
How often should my boiler be serviced?
Annually, ideally before heating season. Tune-ups include combustion analysis, cleaning and safety checks, and requesting it online takes $20 off.
Why does my drain keep clogging?
A cable punches a hole through a clog; it doesn't remove the grease, scale or roots on the pipe wall. A camera inspection finds the real cause and hydro jetting removes it.
Is Rhode Island water hard enough to need a softener?
Municipal water is moderately hard; private wells vary wildly and often carry iron or acidity. We test first and recommend only what the results justify.
Do you install fixtures I bought myself?
Yes, supplied by us or by you. We'll flag any quality concerns before installing, and our workmanship guarantee covers the installation either way.
Can you help with insurance claims after water damage?
We document the failure, the fix and the cause with photos and a written report your adjuster can use. Many Rhode Island carriers know our paperwork already.
Do you offer financing for big jobs like boiler replacement?
Ask when you call, options vary by project size. We'll also tell you honestly when a repair can safely buy you another season to plan.
How do I request service online?
Every Request service button on this site opens our online request form. Send your details and a dispatcher confirms the time with you by phone. Heating tune-ups requested online still save $20.
How long does a water heater last?
Tank units run 8-12 years in Rhode Island, hard water shortens that, and tankless units 15-20 with annual service. Rusty hot water or moisture at the base means it's time.
What is hydro jetting and do I need it?
High-pressure water jetting scours the full pipe wall clean, roots, grease and scale, where a cable only punches a hole. If the same drain keeps clogging, jetting is usually the fix-it-once answer.
Should I get a sewer camera inspection before buying a house?
In Rhode Island's older housing stock, absolutely. A pre-purchase sewer scope costs a fraction of one percent of the repair it can catch, failed clay laterals are five-figure surprises.
Do you install sump pump battery backups?
Yes, the storms that flood basements are the same storms that cut power, so a battery backup is the difference-maker. We size the backup to your pit and typical spring water volume.
What should I do if my pipes freeze?
Open the affected faucets slightly, warm the pipe gently, hair dryer, never a torch, and call. Frozen copper often splits invisibly; we pressure-test after thawing.
Do you service well water systems?
Yes, pressure tanks, iron and sulfur treatment, acid neutralizers, UV disinfection and the plumbing around well pumps. Western RI's wells are a specialty of ours.
What brands of boilers do you work on?
All of the ones in Rhode Island basements, Viessmann and Navien with factory certification, plus Buderus, Weil-McLain, Burnham, Peerless and the rest, repaired daily.
Do you offer maintenance plans?
Yes, the annual boiler tune-up plus priority scheduling, member repair pricing and a whole-mechanical-room check in one visit. It's the cheapest insurance a heating system can have.
Can you do an oil-to-gas conversion?
End to end: gas coordination, piping, the new high-efficiency boiler, venting, permits and inspection. Most conversions pay for themselves in fuel savings within a few seasons.
Is there a fee just to come out, and what does it cover?
Yes, quoted on the phone before anyone rolls. Dispatch during regular business hours starts at $235 and covers both the trip and the first half hour on site. Distance sets the rest: $260 across most of our range, $300 at the furthest edges of the state. After that first half hour, labor runs $200 an hour. Emergency calls are $495 for the first hour, then $300 an hour. The repair itself is a flat price you approve before we open anything.
Do you work in my town?
If it's in Rhode Island, almost certainly. We're based in West Warwick and run vans statewide, Woonsocket to Westerly. Check the service areas page or just call.